Dark Angel

Chapter 4

The plan to kill all off our rivals quickly came to a stop, it was now time to lay low and act "normal." We stopped all activity at the harbors and decided to try to blend in as much as possible. Aaron filled us in on what the detectives had on us but we already knew that they didn't have anything to hold us. I took Mike up on his advice and decided to chill with the family. It was Super Sunday and it was the perfect time to have time with Keisha and just take a break from the hustling and shit.

As hot as it was, it didn't matter. It was time to celebrate.

As I waited in Keisha's apartment for her to finish getting dressed, I realized how much I didn't want to be with her, the shit was a façade for the streets and I was just tired of playing the role. I took a glance at the newly furnished apartment. Animal print was every damn where, it honestly felt like I was in a jungle. From the fur zebra rug to the tan couch with brown zebra pillows. As I looked ahead I saw a large floor length mirror with a zebra lining. Pictures of she and her sisters were displayed on the glass coffee table that set right in front of me which displayed a smile that rarely reached her face around me. Her light brown skin glowed in the picture, thanks to the Mexican sun. Her chocolate brown eyes danced with ͏life, a small smile crept onto my face as I stared at the pictures. I looked around and saw that there were no pictures of me nor our daughter, I shook my head but couldn't get upset, like I said, at this point we were just playing a role. She walked out of the bedroom in a red romper, I smirked because the woman was beautiful, Gorgeous even but her putter beauty was all that she had, never filling her eyes.

"You ready?," she asked with an attitude looking me up and down, "you couldn't wear anything better than that."

I looked down at myself with my jean shorts and blue polo shirt. Nothing was wrong with what I had on,  but to her, everything was wrong. I shook my head and decided not to even pass a comment, it would have been useless if I had. I proceeded to get up and open the door for her as we exited the apartment. The walk was silent, never uncomfortable though, it was what it was. There was absolutely nothing that needed to be said between us. This was the state of our relationship and it was understood between both parties.

We stepped out into the blazing sun with the smell of some good bar b q and crawfish boil hitting our noses. Uptown never disappointed us, I think that that's why she wanted to live up here. A block off of Louisiana and you could still hear the sounds from the second-line bands. The Indian chants hit the air right along with the revving of the motorbikes and four wheelers. This was our second Mardi Gras, this time only for the locals, a hidden holiday that only belonged to us. The sidewalks were still pissy and trashy but we made it look like a kingdom of gold. The street was packed headed to Louisiana, cars lined the sidewalks, people pulling their kids in wagons, young chicks with their best and worst outfits on showing their tattoos and the average dude showing off his footwork. A smile spread across my face, there was nothing like New Orleans, you couldn't buy this kind of culture and I lived for this shit. Run down houses that served as stands for the onlookers who chose not to participate

I found myself grabbing onto Keisha's  hand, playing along with the role. The streets had to believe and know that she was mine. With everything that was going on, this was a welcoming release. Anybody and nobody's came out so I was sure to run into anybody who wanted my head. This shit going on in the city didn't stop because of a New Orleans holiday. If a nigga wanted you dead, they had no problem shooting and killing you in a crowd full of people.

I felt her hand tighten around mine as we approached Louisiana street, the sounds were louder and you could barely see through the crowd but I got a glimpse of the costume of 7th ward hunters Indian suit. Pink Feathers rose from the headpiece on his head like a crown and pink feathers adorned his entire suit with the exception of his center dress which displayed a white house on fire with an Indian fighting scene all designed in glittering stones. He stood at attention and with a stone face while all of the others around him stressed in similar suits danced to the beat.